IRWIN MARATHON 7-1/4 24T Saw Blades (China Made Junk!)

I am building a workbench in my new garage, and decided I would like two hunks of bowling alley as my work surface. From the first 40' of the alley, making it all very dense maple hard wood. I started searching and found two 11' sections about 180 miles away. Called the guy and he only wanted 25.00 ea for the sections, so I solicited some help from my son and drove out to pick them up.

These things are very heavy, each one was well in excess of 350lbs. We loaded them up and headed home.

So now time to cut these 11' X 36" X 2" chunks into my soon to be work bench surface. This required making two pieces one 9 - 1/2' X 27" and one 7' X 27". My Skill saw already had an Irwin 7-1/4 24T Carbide blade in it so I used it to make my first cut, taking off 36" on one end. I worked from the back side screwing a furring strip to use as a guide. The cut was nice and clean, even though I did cut four nails in half and two the long way. I figured for the long cut I would put on a new blade, as I was aware this was tough stuff and sure to be nails every six to eight inches all the way down the full length. I went to my local hardware store and picked up two Marathon Carbide 7-1/4 X 24T blades, same as what was already in the saw (So I thought!).

I put on one of the new blades and started my long cut, about one third the way, after cutting through a few nails I noticed the blade was not cutting and in fact was warping or becoming soft and kind of going its own way. I stopped and examined the blade, all the carbide tips were gone! So I changed to the other new blade and started cutting again, with the same experience. After another third of the way the blade was trash, teeth gone! I went to switch back to my original blade and noticed the only difference was the blade that was originally in my saw was made in New Zealand vs. the blades that failed were made in China. I put the old blade back on and finished the cut, hitting many nails along the way, but all the teeth were still in place, the blade looked like new!

It was clear, the blades from China were junk. I went back to the hardware store and found all the blades were made in China; DeWalt, Irwin, Chraftsman, ACE, in fact they all looked like they came out of the same factory. In flipping through the stock, way at the back I found two Irwin Marathon 24T Carbide blades NOS (2005) made in New Zealand. I purchased both of them.

Now time to cut the long cut with the (New) New Zealand made blade. As expected, one blade made the full 11' cut, going through many nails along the way and it still looks like new!

When will these Companies learn? The package states made in China to Irwin Specifications; so did the New Zealand blades, but clearly, there is a major difference between the quality of the blades from New Zealand vs. the blades from China!!

Traeger - Lil Tex Elite - Smoker Grill

I received my new Traeger Lil-Tex Elite Grill this week.

I paid $799.00 with cover and two 20 lb. bags of pellets (Hickory & Mesquite) (Memorial Day Sale) direct from Traeger's web site with no shipping or sales tax.

The Everyday Cookbook is included in the box, but not the analog temperature gage, that is optional. Some assembly is required, but very simple, really just putting on the legs. Once fully assembled there is a 45 min burn in process to burn off the "Newness" and eliminate any manufacturing left over oils etc. Overall this all went fine, there was a minor bend in one of the slots where the legs had to slide in, but easily straightened out with a pair of pliers. After it had cooled down, I applied a coat of automotive wax to the outside and buffed to a shine. I read this would help protect it to do this annually.

First cooking adventure with the Traeger: BBQ Baby Back Ribs using the Treager 3-2-1 method and Hickory Pellets, with the addition of some ideas I have read about on the web. I started preparing the ribs around 10:30AM. Made up the mustard, Apple Juice and Worcestershire Sauce, and spread it on three racks of ribs (3 racks - about 9 lbs.) I was not sure on the pork rub, how much to use, but sprinkled evenly and rubbed it in. So now I was ready to start smoking!

Following the directions to start the smoker/grill I set it to smoke with the cover open. After it started and there was visible smoke, I closed the lid but the temperature kept rising all the way up to 375, and it was set to smoke (160 - 180 expected). So I watched it rise all the way to 400 and after a few minutes of this I called Traeger Technical Support. A young man answered the call and when I told him what was going on he told me the unit had to complete a cycle, and to leave the lid open for 10-15 min, then close the lid and all should be OK. I followed his suggestion, and lo and behold it worked as he said it would. It was smoking well, with temps running between 160 to 170 as I expected.

Cooking the ribs: I sprayed the grille grate with PAM, just to prevent sticking. Put on the ribs, bone side down, and sat back with a beverage and watched the smoker do its thing. After 45 minutes I sprayed the ribs with apple juice I had put into a new clean spray bottle (I read this trick from a few people on the web). I will spray the ribs during the smoke process once every 45 minutes. So the process looks like this:

·         10:30 - Prepare Ribs

·         11:00 - Ribs on Smoker (180 deg good smoke)

·         11:45 - Spray lightly with apple juice

·         12:30 - Spray lightly with apple juice

·         1:15 - Spray lightly with apple juice

·         2:15 - Remove for Phase 2 (set smoker to 225 deg)

·                         - Wrap each rack of ribs in foil (with brown sugar, apple juice, and honey)

·         2:30 - Back on smoker at 225 deg

·         4:30 - Remove foil add BBQ sauce

·         5:30 - Remove ribs

·         5:45 - Enjoy

The final product was great! Well worth the effort. The meat was tender, not falling of the bone, but just a slight pull to separate it. I am now looking forward to my next smoking project, maybe a Turkey, or chicken.

My final thoughts on the Traeger Smoker:  I can see why many folks are upset with the switch in 2007 from being made in USA to having the units made in China. The product clearly felt like "Made In China" as I took it out of the box and assembled it. The metal work, how thin it is, and the feel, all scream "Made In China". We are becoming accustomed to this today, with so many things, it is a shame. As with most things it did function as it was designed. I do feel with the shift to China the cost should have come down, at $799. the unit feels overpriced by about $300.00. These are now being offered at many Costco stores, and I'll bet Lowes or Home Depot is next! The Traeger Smoker/Grill is not a specialty product any longer.  

Cruise Vacation Review

Ship: Royal Caribbean International - Explorer of the Seas

Itinerary: Nine nights - Bermuda, St Maarten, St. Thomas/St John, San Juan

Departing from: Port Liberty - Bayone, NJ - April 12, 2012

Cabin: Royal Family Suite

The planning process was painful, using the RCI web site offered many challenges. Purchased amenities confirmations did not line up with what was actually purchased. The cruise planner did not always reflect actual packages and upgrades purchased. System only allows for four passengers per reservation, so the fifth is on a "linked" separate reservation, this proved difficult when planning. Due to the poor design of the web site many calls were required to RCL customer service to finally assure all packages were in place and we were ready for our cruise.

Parking at the Sea Port was $175.00 for the nine days, kind of expensive considering.

Suite Upgrade - Overall I found this a worthwhile investment in the trip. Separate boarding area to speed up the boarding process, along with Gold Level Seating at the shows, special area on the pool deck, breakfast and lunch in Portofino's, a roomy two bedroom suite with table and four lounge chairs on a generous size deck looking out the back of the ship. And of course early departure arrangements. You pay extra for a suite but they do make it a good value if you can afford paying a little extra.

Our Cabin Steward - This guy did not get it! I have read so many reviews with people stating how much the steward did, and how engaged their steward was. Ours did just the minimum, and was not very engaged in his job at all. On the first day I asked for covers for the lounge chairs on the deck (they were kind of dirty from the ships exhaust) he said he would get us some, the next day he showed up with them and just tossed them on a chair in the cabin. (You would have expected him to put them on the lounge chairs). He never (except once after I complained) wiped down the table and chairs on the deck from the soot. He never replaced the soap or shower gel or shampoo, again until I asked. I had pre paid the gratuity, but wish there was some way I could have held back 10% from this guy, he was clearly not ready for the job he had.

Dining - I did not expect this to be a gourmet dining experience, but I must say this is one area where RCI has it down to a science. All meals from breakfast lunch to dinner and snacks in-between were excellent. The wait staff were superb, engaged, and you could tell wanted to provide a first class experience for the guests. Steaks were done to order, sea food was fresh tasting, and vegetables cooked just perfect, and deserts were fresh and tasty. I would give them an A+ for food service overall. A must try is Portofino's and Johnny Rockets, a small up charge but well worth it.

Bar Service - Overall good job. The Platinum wine package worked well after a few days, but took some time for the staff to catch on that we had this package. Stayed away from the drink pushers by the pool, and always ordered fresh from the bar. All bartenders and staff were helpful and friendly. Drinks were for the most part well made with an adequate amount of liquor.

Getting on and off the ship - I don't know how they do it! At each port of call it was easy on and easy off, with little waiting. I would have thought with 3000 people getting on and off there would be long lines, but not so. We almost had no lines at all, at any port... Very good job by all staff in this area.

They say you either love cruising or hate it. Well I would say I don't hate it. We had good weather, and mild seas, so no problem there. I might try again, maybe Alaska, or Western Caribbean. Would I use RCI again? Maybe but given some of the issues we had and with nothing to compare it to, I might try NCL, or Celebrity next time.

Things Can Change - Table & Vine Improved Service

Improvement at Table & Vine in West Springfield, MA.

I recently filed the following complaint to Big Y Management (They Own Table & Vine)

During a recent visit to Table & Vine I noticed a sign above a row of wine stating it was rated 91 points by Robert Parker, upon further examination the sign was for a different vintage year than what was being sold. I figured this was a mistake, and continued shopping. Just a few rows down I again noticed a high graded wine sign, but a different vintage being offered. Now I started looking closely and found this five times in one row! In fact I found some hand written signs stating high ratings with no vintage year stated at all! It became evident that this was not an error, but a direct attempt to push wine through false and misleading advertising.

There is no reason for this kind of misleading tactics (especially from a company you feel you can trust like the Big Y). This is like a car dealership advertising a 2010 car, but substituting a 2006. Wine is very specific to its year. Just because a 2007 vintage rated well, has nothing to do with how well a 2009 vintage of the same label would rate. Any sign that states a rating should always clearly show the vintage year rated, and that must always be in line with what is being offered.

I purchase $250 - $300 worth of wine a month, and will no longer shop Table and Vine until this is corrected. I appreciate anything Big Y leadership can do to restore my faith in Big Y’s ethical principles and conduct in running its business. I would also suggest an audit be taken of the Table & Vine operation to assure it is following corporate guidance going forward. I hope what I have noticed is not just the tip of the iceberg.

On a side note; two times in the last month I went to purchase my favorite varietal and it was out of stock. When I requested to order a case, it was as if I was asking the salesman to go out of his way; instead he told me it was a warehouse stock item and should be in next week and I could just pick it up from the floor. Only after I insisted, did he agree to place the order. We went to a order station, and he could not find a blank form, or even a pen that writes! He asked me to put my name on a paper with a Magic-Marker! Very Un-Professional. In the month prior to that, I attempted to order a case of wine from an Email to the store. After not receiving a response I went to the store and the salesman went to a computer and found my email, we placed the order; but again a failed very poor process.

________________________________________________________________________

November 12, 2011

I would like to report a major improvement - I took a chance last week and went in to pick up some wine. I found all signs now accurately lining up with the actual wine on sale. I asked for a case of my favorite wine (7 Deadly Zins) and the clerk promptly responded yes sir and brought me out a case in less than two minutes. Two times while shopping I was approached and asked if I needed any assistance. Good Job Table & Vine, keep up the good job........

________________________________________________________________________

April 28, 2020 

Well they are back to their old tricks. On a recent visit to Town & Country Liquors I noticed once again they are mislabeling wine as high rated but not the vintage they are selling. I found this over 8 times in one isle!! You know this is intentional. I will not be going back anytime soon.

Town Fair Tire - Poor Customer Service

Well I have not had any response to my complaint I sent to Town Fair Tire on October 1(see previous post in my blog).

I sent my email to custservice@townfair.com but after 11 days not so much as an acknowledgement from them.What a poor excuse for a company, they can't even respond to their customers when there is a problem!

Do yourself a favor, pay a little more someplace else and save a lot of aggravation in the long run making return trips and being messed with by these guys that have no clue how to install or service tires or even the basics of providing customer service.   

A Letter to Town Fair Tire - A Lost Customer

I recently purchased four 20” American Racing custom wheels and brand new Pirelli high end tires for my 2009 Ford Platinum F-150 truck at your Chicopee, MA location.

I noticed almost immediately that when passing on the highway I was getting a wobble in the steering wheel and kept meaning to get back to the store to have it checked, but like most I am very busy with work and family schedules. I finally made it into the Chicopee store last week where I purchased the tire and wheel set and explained about the wobble in the steering wheel at 70 MPH, they took it in and rebalanced the wheels.

 

On the way home (I have to take the turnpike) so it was not long before I was at 70 and noticed no change in the wobble, in fact it seemed a little more pronounced. I was determined to get this fixed as it was driving me crazy as my $50K truck was riding like an old junk. I went back to the Chicopee store the next day and this time asked to see the manager. I again explained the problem with the wobble in the wheel. They took the truck in and rebalanced again but this time put the front tires in the rear. The tech did say he had a problem getting a good balance on one of the wheels, but the manager said it was not bad enough to replace it.

Well I left with high hopes that my problems were over, only to find the problem was still there and now felt like it was not only a wobble but the whole truck was shaking.

Next morning I took the truck back to the dealer where I bought it (Marcotte Ford) and explained that there must be something wrong with the truck, I explained how in the last week Town Fair had rebalanced the tires and wheels two times but the truck had a bad wobble and vibration.

Ford did find and fix the problem. Let me share with you the comments directly from the work order:

ATTEMPTED TO BALANCE RF TIRE WORLD NOT BALANCE IT KEPT TELLING ME TO ADD WEIGHT IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. DISMOUNTED TIRE AND FOUND AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF WATER IN IT. DUMPED WATER OUT AND DRIED INSIDE THE TIRE REMOUNTED AND BALANCED. DID THE SAME PROCEADURE FOR THE OTHER THREE TIRES FOUND WATER IN TWO TIRES BALANCED ALL. TEST DRIVE CHECKED GOOD.

I left the dealership somewhat skeptical but when I got on the highway and found the ride to be smooth and steady with no sign of the wobble I was relieved, but also somewhat pissed off that the tire experts at Town Fair mounted expensive tires and wheels with water in them. Not only that, they did not have the ability to trouble shoot the problem after the fact, even after my escalation to the store manager. This is just not acceptable when you pay $2300 for tires and wheels and trust you are dealing with experts in the tire business.

There is nothing you can do for me, the damage is done. You cannot give me back the time spent on three separate days and loss of work I spent to get this issue resolved. But you can help your business by making sure this complaint gets to your highest level leadership, if they are not aware of problems like this they will continue to think things are going well, and not understand why they are losing customers.

Some sort of educational bulletin should go out as a warning to all techs:

·        Make sure tires are dry inside before being mounted.

·        The process used to seal tires to the rim should be reviewed as this is suspect in the cause of the water getting into the tires.

·        Is the air compressor being properly drained of water, are there water filters in place?

·        Check for water in tire when tires do not balance as expected.

Regards,